The present invention relates generally to data communications networking and particularly to a network communications system allowing a group of computer users in a conference room or similar small work area to access a local area network (LAN) and to provide peer-to-peer group networking and resource sharing without accessing the LAN.
The widespread use of notebook and handheld computer systems in business environments has created a need for informal network access and information sharing. Mobile users require constant access to the company network for E-mail, internet and intranet services. Small workgroups of mobile notebook and handheld computer users often assemble for a meeting or a joint task, access and exchange computerized information in an ad hoc manner and then disband. There is a need to facilitate this rapid workgroup xe2x80x9csetup and tear downxe2x80x9d in a conference room or similar small work area allowing two or more computer users to access a network at the same time, and also to share files, peripherals, and other resources without connection to a backbone network.
The availability of networking connections in conference rooms has heretofore been limited because of the high cost of custom conference room furniture with integrated LAN jacks. Thus, conference rooms are often equipped with only one LAN wall jack thereby limiting network access to only one user at a time. In addition, existing LAN hubs and switches are not designed to be seamlessly integrated into a conference room or similar environment. Thus, placing such a LAN interconnection apparatus in a conference room requires many individual network cables to connect users"" computers to the apparatus. Conference rooms so equipped are often plagued with a tangle of unsightly cables and sometimes cables are removed from the room. Moreover, mobile computer users moving about company premises to attend team meetings, view presentations or work on group projects, must often carry their own network cables and search for open network jacks in a conference room or other work area.
Broadly, the present invention provides a network communications system for efficiently connecting a plurality of computer systems with a local area network in a small work area environment such as a conference room. The system includes a plurality of retractable cables connectable to a corresponding number of computers that eliminate the inevitable tangle of network cables that occur with existing hub and switch products. Further, the system facilitates the inexpensive addition of network connectivity to a conference room environment.
In accordance with one specific embodiment of the invention, there is provided a network communications system for networking a plurality of computers, the system including a plurality of client computer ports, multiport circuitry such as a LAN switch for interconnecting the plurality of client computer ports in the network, and a removable, replaceable, network communications cable dispensing device, preferably in the form of a spring loaded reel take-up device, associated with each client port. The communications cable carried by each cable dispensing device has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the communications cable is fixed relative to the cable dispensing device and has an extremity carrying a first connector adapted to be coupled to one of the ports of the multiport interconnecting circuitry. The second portion of the communications cable is extendible from and retractable, under spring load, into the cable dispensing device and has an extremity carrying a second connector adapted to be coupled to one of the computers. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the communications cable comprises flat, Category 5 compliant LAN cable including two twisted wire pairs, and the connector at the extremity of each of the first and second portions of the communications cable comprises an RJ-45 modular plug.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the system includes a combined power/Ethernet LAN cable for connecting the system both to a network and to a source of electrical power. In addition, the system may include a combined power/Ethernet LAN cable for coupling the system to a second network communications system of the invention in cascaded or daisy chain fashion.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the combined power/Ethernet LAN cable comprises a first group of conductors comprising two twisted wire pairs for transmitting Ethernet LAN signals. The first group of conductors has a first end and a second end, the first end being adapted to be connected to the Ethernet LAN. The combined cable further includes a second group of conductors comprising, like the first group of conductors, two twisted wire pairs for transmitting electrical power to the system. The second group of conductors has a first end and a second end, the first end of the second group of conductors being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical power. An RJ-45 modular connector having at least eight contact positions terminates the second ends of the first and second groups of conductors. The conductors of the first group of conductors are connected to the contacts of a first group of four of the contact positions of the RJ-45 connector and the conductors of the second group of conductors are connected to the contacts of a second group of four of the contact positions of the RJ-45 connector. EMI/RFI shielding encloses the first group of conductors and an insulative jacket encloses both the first and second groups of conductors. In accordance with a specific embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the RJ-45 connector has ten contact positions, Nos. 1-10, the conductors of the first group of conductors being connected to the contacts of contact positions 1-4 and the conductors of the second group of conductors being connected to contact positions 7-10. The middle contact positions 5 and 6 of the RJ-45 connector are devoid of contacts to provide electrical isolation between the first and second groups of conductors.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power/Ethernet LAN adapter assembly comprising an enclosure having attached thereto a combined power/Ethernet LAN cable as described above; an electrical power cord; and a Category 5 compliant cable terminated with an RJ-45 modular plug for connection to a LAN. The enclosure contains pass-through conductors interconnecting the Category 5 compliant cable with the first end of the first group of conductors of the combined power/Ethernet cable, and a power supply interconnecting the power cord and the first end of the second group of conductors of the combined cable.